This invention relates generally to circuits for detecting transients and more particularly relates to circuits for detecting transients on power lines and indicating the characteristics of the transient.
The increasing use of complex and very sensitive electronic equipment has necessitated the detection and elimination of electrical transients from power lines to permit uninterrupted and reliable operation of critical electronic equipment. Detection and location of the sources of electrical transients is therefore of prime importance in providing high quality power to critical equipment. Detection of transients in prior art circuits has required shutting down the equipment by opening a circuit breaker or blowing a fuze. On some occasions, these transients are only temporary and the equipment may be restarted after a short delay. However, the cause of the transient is not determined, and a recurrence may again shut down the equipment, causing a loss of precious computer time or use of other critical electronic equipment. If the transient occurs at infrequent intervals, the cause can be extremely difficult to locate. Further, if the transient is very large, it can result in permanent damage to the equipment if not eliminated.
The present invention provides a solution to the problem of transients by not only indicating when one occurs but also indicating the direction of their origin. This information is extremely helpful in determining the cause of the transient.